Flying-machine.



a. T. sumo. FLYING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED PEB- 5, X910.

1 Patented 00a. 18, 191.9.v

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wuemtoz R. T. SAVINO. FLYING MACHINE.

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Patented Oct. 18,1910.

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" 5M? 7? jaw/7'0 R. T. SAVING. FLYING MACHINE.

' APPLIQA'I'IOH mum 1 13.5. 1910. Patented Oct. 1841910.

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I APPLICATION FILED EEB,5,1910. 973 39 Patented (wt. 18, 1910.

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a M :IHOIIIJ R. 1'. sumo. FLYING MACHINE. APPLIGATIOX FILED 31:13.5, I910.

Patented Oct. 18,1910.

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* UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

. 13.00110 '1'; savmo, or new YORK, N. Y.

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Application filed February 5, i910. Serial No. 542,251.

To all whom it may concern: i

Be it known that I, Rooxo T. Savrxo, a subject of the King of Italy, residing at New York, in thecounty of New York and State of. New York, have invented new and useful -Improvements in Flying-Machines, of which the followingis a specification.

This invention'relates to air ships of the dirigible balloon type,- and its object is to provide an aerial vessel of this character which may be readily steered vertically and horizontally, positively ropelled in both a (l direction, and retarded in its'descent, in the event of injury to the balloon, whereby the easy and safe return to the ground will be insured.

The inventionconsists of the features of construction, combination and arrangement 'of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, reference being had to theaccoinpanying drawings, in wh1ch:-

Figure 1 1s a side elevation of an air ship embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of the same, omitting the gas ba F 1g. 3 is a vertical trans-- verse section. ig. 4 is an enlarged side elevation of the drive gearin Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the same. Fig. .6 is a side elevation of the steering rudders. Fig, 7 is a top plan View of the same. Figs. 8 and 9 are views of one of the supporting legs and cooperatingparts. Fig. 10 is a view of one of the upper frame stanchions and associated suspension chain.

Referring to the drawings. 1 designates a car or main frame of suitable size, shape and material, and constructed'to provide a chamber or compartment 2 to contain the motor and drive gearing and a deck or platform 3 to supportthe operator, passengers, etc., said platform being surrounded by an 6 and covered by fabric or other suitable ma- "terial 7 to provide an overhead protecting canopy. This canopy also serves in flight as a plane agaiiist which the air impinges to assist iii-supporting the vessel in the atmosphere.

The car is suspended from a balloon 8, which is preferably substantially cigarshaped or of any analogous form to diminish its resistance to passage throughthe air, and

may be of any desired construction to preand rearwardly.

Specification of Letterslatent. Patented O t. 18, 191(1 v 11 to engage the rods or stanchions 5 and with hooks or similar elements 12 to interlock with coupling rings 13 pivotally supported by lugs or projections 14 on the sides of the guide wall 4. The balloon may be of sufiicient capacity to sustain the whole or the greater portion of the weightof the vessel and is normally held down in close proximity to the car by the engagement of the hooks with the coupling ringl If it should be desired, however, to allow the cur rents of air to act more forcibly against the surface of the balloon or to suspend the car at a further point below the same, the hooks may be disengaged from the ring and the eyes 11 allowed to slide upwardly on the stanchions 5 until they engage collars 1-3 at the upper ends of said stanchions.

Arranged within the compartment 2 is a suitable driving motor 16, the shaft 17 of which extends horizontally inn rearward direction-and turns in suitable hearings in a bracket or frame 18. Disposed at the rear of the car is a vertically arranged forward driving propeller 19 mounted on the rear end of a shaft 20 journaled in 'a bearing bracket 21, the forward end of which shaft is journaled in the frame or bracket- 18 and carries a clutch member :22 adapted to be engaged with and disengaged from a clutch member 23 on the rear'end of the motor shaftl? by sliding the shaft 20 forwardlv To efiect these sliding movements. the clutch member 22 is pivotally connected with'a link 2i, pivotally atupwardly extending guard wall l. Rising 5 tached at its lower end, as at. 25, to the bracket 18 and pivotally attached at its upper end, as at 26. to an operating lever :37 extending upwardly through an opening in the platform 3 and provided with a pawl 27' to engage a fixed rat-k 2 whereby it. may

; be locked in adjusted position to hold the clutch member 22 in or oiit'of engagement of the clutch member 23. A spring 29 connects the lever 27 with a suitable portion of the car and operates to throw the clutch member 22 into action when the lever 27 is released for such movement. It will thus be understood that, the propeller 19 may be connected with the motor for driving the vessel 1 a similar gear 40 on the motor shaft. by

forwardly, and disconnected therefrom when propeller being mounted upon the lower end of a vertical shaft. 31 journaled in a bearing brz'icket 32 and in a depending extension 33 from the bracket 18. The upper end of this shaft is provided with a clutch member 34 having lateral guide pins movable in vertical slots 36 in said extension 33 and adapted by a vertical sliding motion of the shaft to be thrown into and out of engagement with a clutch member37 on the lower end of 'a short vertical shaft 38. which shaft hears at its'upper end a bevel gear 39 meshing with Pivotally-engaging the pins 35 is a link 41 pivoted at one end to a fixed arm 42 and having at its opposite end a right angularly bent arm 43 pivoted to the lower end of-a vertically sliding operating bar -l.l. 153' adjusting this latch bar up or down the clutch member 34 may be thrown into or out of engagement with the clutch member 31' to drive the propeller 30 or stop the driving action thereof. The bar is formed with properly disposed notches 45 to engage the edge of a locking plate 46 on the platform, whereby it may be held in clutch closing or clutch opening position, and a spring 47 connects the arm 43 with the bracket 15 to I shift the clutch members into engagement as soon as the bar is released or such purpose. The-propeller 30 is employed to lift the vessel in" starting a flight to the desired elevatiou, and during the course of travel of the vessel in a forward direction may be revolved slowly to assist in sustaining the vessel. hen it is desired to descend this propeller may be revcrsely revolved by reversmg the'motor or using a reversing gearing, so as to regulate the speed of descent.

Extending at right angles from the sides of the car are bearing brackets 48, above which are arranged outwardly, upwardly and downwardly curved wings 4 which are connected with the car and ad jam-at lam-km.

rcspectively,by braces :30 and 5 Jourualz-d m hearings on the lu'uvlirts 4-; are Sllilfl 3:!

arranged horizontally and parallel with the ar, and each mirr viug a pair of propeller blades 53, the blades of each pair being ar ranged side-by-side in the same plane and extending equally beyond opposite sides of tlze shaft. The respective sets of propellers are tint and are normally designed to 1'0- tate in an outward direction as indicated by arrows in Fig. 3, to cXe-rLa downward h ating pressure on the air and thus not as rustaining mediums in connection with 1h:- l-ullo'on and lifting propeller to Support the vessel. Thesmpropellers are preferably kept working at all times for their sustaining effect, and b reversing the motor or through the use 0 reversing gearing may be revolve'd with the lifting propeller in a direction reverse to the direction of revolution to facilitate descent of the vessel. If from' any cause the balloon should collapse or be otherwise rendered inoperative as :1 support ing medium, the vessel may be caused to descend safely by a gliding action through the use of the steering means hereina.'ter described, and by controlling its descent through the operation of said lifting and sustaining propellers. The shafts 52 carry sprocket wheels 5-} which are connected by driving chains with sprocketwheels 56 on a pair of countershafts .Ti jourualed in the bracket 18, which counter-shafts carry iutermeshing gears 58 driven in reverse direction by a pinion 59 on the motor shaft 17. I Each sprocket wheel 56 is loosely mounted on its shaft 57 and is provided with a clutch 'member 58 to engage a coacting clutch mmuber 59 on the shaft, so that said sprocket D wheel ma}- be fixed to or allowed to turn loosely on the shaft to start or stop the operation of the sustaining propeller at will. vFach sprocket wheel is pzvotally connected to a link or Shilling member 60 pivoted at 9 its lower end. as at (31, to the bracket 18 and at its upper end to the lower end of a controlling lcvcr 2 having a pawl 63 to engage a rack (i-l on the platform, by which the lever may be locked in adjusted position to hold the clutch members into or out of engagement. A spring connects the link or lever with some suitable part of the car in; throw the clutch members in engagement as The wings 4*. serve as guards for the propullers and also as sustaining surfaces to assist in supporting the machine. They furtheract as stationary fins or stabilizing and prevent the bobbing up and down or fluctuations of vessels of this "lltllutltl' under the action of wind currents ou lluballoou, where such \t-ssrl are :mprovidt-d with V so -no means f this nature. 15

The means for steering the vessel horizon tall) and \'tl'll(:!ll comprises rudders i :md HT arranged at the front of (h4- var. l The rudder (-6 is vertically positioned :ml mounted to swing laterally upon -1 shaft 120 f jourualcd in suitable hearings and carryiu at its-upper end a bevel gear 69 int-shin;- l with a similar gear 70 on the forward l-ud i of a horizontal controlliu; shaft 71 extendl iugnuu-wardly ovc-r the platform and pro- 325 soon as the lever is released for such action.

planes to guide the vessel in a straight course iii-which extends therethrough, equal portlons ofthe rudder 67 being arranged on opposite sides of said rudder 66.

The rudder 1 67 hasits portions connected by a shaft T-t f extending across the slot 73 and through the rudder (36 and journaled in a suitable bearing in the latter. by which the horizontal 1 rudder is mounted to swing upon the ver tical rudder, as will be readily understood.

Connecting rods 75 are pivotally coupled at their rear ends to the inner rear corners of v ad usted positions.

the sections of the horizontal rudder and extend upwardly therefrom on opposite sides of the vertical rudderand are pivotall coupled at their upper ends to a bell-crank lever 76 mounted upon the front of the car 1 and connected by a rearwardly extending connectin rod 77 with an operating lever 78 having a pawl 79-to engage a rack 80, whereby the rudder may be secured many of its The rods 75 are spaced a suflicient distance apart: and the lever 76.

is SllfllClentl) flexible to permit the rudder,

j 66 to have the necessary degree of swinging i movement to the right or left to steer the; vessel and permit it to turn in an arc of the 5 desired radius. All of the controlling levers herembefore described are arranged adjacent each other in proximity to the position of the operator so that one or more of'them may be operated singly or in unison at-any time in a convenient manner to -place the vessel under complete control.

oblong rectangular form, is provided at each of its corners with a guide sleeve or tube 81 The car or frame. which is preferably of caused to land easily and without damage to the main frame and gearing.

Having described my invention. I claim 1. In a flyin vmachinc. the'combiinition of a fram steering and propelling means carried thereby. uprights rising from the frame and provided at their 'l wcr endswith engaging members and at their -.upper ends with stops. a balloon. and suspension device-3 depending from the balloon and having guide members slidablv engagingthe uprights and devices to interlock with said ei1 gaging members. A

2. In a flying machine. the combination of a frame; steering and propelling means car- 30 ried thereby, uprights rising from the frame, a balloon. and suspension evices depending from the balloonand slidably engaging the uprights. said devices being adapted for counection with the uprights at different eleva- 5 tions for supporting the frame closer to or farther from the balloon.- i

3. in a flying machine, the combination of a frame, propelling and steering meanscarried thereby. a canopy supported upon the framc and including uprights having locking members at their lower ends and stops at their upper ends, a balloon, tlexil-le suspension dcvices depending from the balloon, rings carried by said devices and slidably engaging the uprights, and locking members also carried by saidtdevices to engage said ocking members at the lower endsof the uprights.

4. flying machine cmbodving a frame,

means for propelling the same forward, suitable steering means. brackets extending ontadapted to be extended to sustain the vessel when it rests upon the surface of the ground and to be withdrawn upwardly into said. tubes when the vessel is in flight. On each tube is a spring latch 83 project-ing into a slot therein to engage notches Si and 85 in the leg, by which the latter may be secured in its retracted and pro ected positions, A

chain or other connection 86 leads from the car to thelatch. whereby the latter mav be withdrawn from engagement with the lg to allow the latter to drop by gravity for the f automatic extension of the legs iii-making read to alight. A cord or other connection Y ST extends from each leg to the car, whereby the legs may-be withdrawn into the guides after the vessel has cleared the earth in making an ascent. v

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and mode of operation of any improved air ship will be readily undcrstoml. and it will be seen that a vessel of this character provided which may be driven and steered in all directions, and which in the event of injury to the balloon mar be. safely guided in its descent and war-ll at the opposite sides of the frame, hood-shaped wings at the sides of the frame aboie said brackets. bracing connections between the frame. wings. and brzn-kctsrlongitudmal'ly extending shafts onrnalcd on ithe brackets, heaters upon the shafts. each comprising a pair of flat blades spaced apart and extending in the same plane and -projecting beyond diametrically opposite sides of the shaft. :1 gear element on each shaft bctwccn the blades of the wings'a motor. driving connections between the motor and the respective gear elements. and means for opcrating said driving connections singly or in unison.

'5. A flying machine embodying a. frame.

a motor. a drive gear and a drive pinion upon the shaft of the motor, a vertical transmission shaft. endwise movable vertical and horizontal shafts. lifting and driving propellers carried by said shaft. clutch members upon the respective.shafts. for throwing the vertical and horizontal shafts into and out of engagement with the transmission motor shafts through endwise movements of said vertical and horizontal shafts, countershafts. gears thereon meshing with the pinion of the motor shaft, a gear on the 7 transmissionishaft meshin "ivith the geer on the motor shaft, sprocfiet ears on the counter-shafts, clutches for t rowing the l lo rudder carried by said vertical shaft,

im for oscillating the vertical shaft and bil'un-nled horizontal rudder through which the. vertical rudder passes, said horizontal rudder haringportions disposed on opposite sides of said vertical rudder, a horlzontalr shaft extending through the vertical rudder and journaled therein and connecting the portions of the horizontal rudder, a bell crank lever, means for o erating the same,

and a link comecting said bell crank lever with the horizontal rudder.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

- g ROCKO T. SAVING. Witnesses:

HARRY DELAY.

C. C. HINES. 

